Yala Car Bomb : Weak Excuse

The recent Monday's   and  Sunday's car bomb in Yala   shows once again that the violent  group of Patani Liberation movement in the deep South have every intention of continuing their bloody attacks. They clearly are working to step up the number of casualties, by increasing the ferocity of each attack. The latest of a string of vehicle bombs - three cars, one motorcycle - in central Yala town seemed to be aimed at a truckload of paramilitary rangers.But as usual, the great majority of casualties occurred among innocent bystanders and the owners of shops and houses along the street.The failure of security forces to check such violence is worrying on at least two levels. First, authorities had promised after the first Yala bomb - and the second, then the third - that they were stepping up defensive measures. Each bomb, each murder, each destruction of houses and shops brought another promise.On Monday, after an improvised bomb blew up a saloon car parked on Siroros Road, police offered a weak excuse. Officers had increased security measures in the southern town. "Perhaps officers got tired," offered Yala police chief Pol Maj Gen Chot Chawanwiwat.The second is the increasing availability of weapons and methods for the insurgent groups. There may be no direct foreign involvement in the southern violence, but there is plenty of indirect influence. The rebels without a discernible cause in the four southernmost provinces have never had a shortage of inspiration. From the terrorist training camps of Libya's Col Moammar Gadhafi to the videos and internet forums, the Patani Liberation movement  in Thailand  South never have wanted for examples of how to work their terrorism, intimidation and extortion.

In recent years, the terrorists of Iraq and of Indonesia have obviously given ideas to the southern insurgents. Car bombs, which emerged in the Libyan conflict of the late 1970s, recently have been a weapon of the Indonesian branch of al-Qaeda, the Jemaah Islamiyah.

The insurgents have beheaded more than 50 Thais including security forces and spy for the government intelligent work , based on the model of Thai Military cruel operations since two centuries ago   and that of the recent Iraq war.

Based on the past copycat performance of the Patani Liberation movements of the deep South, authorities have two more tactics to beware of. The first is a book bomb. Police in Indonesia have intercepted at least four bombs hidden in hollowed-out thick books, addressed to prominent personalities opposed to the JI.  none has actually reached the addressee and exploded - thanks to good detective work and community awareness.

In a more worrying development, a JI agent detonated a suicide bomb in Indonesia last week. That blast killed the bomber, and wounded 17 policemen at a station mosque during Friday prayers.

This presents a unique threat to Thailand. Even at their worst, the southern rebels never have resorted to the despicable suicide bomb. This terrible type of terror is only a threat, but authorities must be aware that the southern insurgents could well decide to adopt it from their Indonesian "brethren" on the basis of the worst treat and cruel practice from the Thai security forces and the worst words from the Thai extreme Nationalist public .                         

The sad fact is that authorities remain on their back foot in the South. The decision to revitalise the Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre, staffing it with credible and knowledgeable officials, is a positive step. The recent army request for Indonesian advice on the southern conflict is a welcome development. It finally breaks the military's wrong perception that the Patani  Liberation movement in Thailand south are an isolated force, and have no outside connections or resources.

Much remains to be done. It is no excuse that officers "got tired", when Patani liberation movement  have been able to detonate four vehicle bombs. Much more consideration must be on Muslim Malay of Patani oriented center of solution, if the Thai government really need to end  centuries long political conflict.

Posted in: Politics